Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Douglas Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Douglas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $2,515 in Douglas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $3,823 in Douglas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $5,131 in Douglas.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 60% less than in Douglas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% below, Douglas is 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$30.49 IMP 22.65

-80.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$108 IMP 80.2

-69.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$10.20 IMP 7.58

-27.16%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$5.32 IMP 3.96

-68.98%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,468

$2.81 IMP 2.09

-60.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$1.96 IMP 1.46

-60.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$6.49 IMP 4.82

-73.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$6.23 IMP 4.63

-48.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.98 IMP 1.47

-44.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$2.00 IMP 1.49

-37.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$2.02 IMP 1.50

-31.68%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$4.35 IMP 3.23

-49.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$6.88 IMP 5.11

-34.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$8.36 IMP 6.21

-30.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$11.69 IMP 8.69

-23.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.35 IMP 1.75

-1.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.79 IMP 1.33

-40.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.64 IMP 1.96

-42.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.92 IMP 2.17

-53.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.36 IMP 1.75

-52.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.53 IMP 1.88

-53.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.66 IMP 1.23

-45.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$2.00 IMP 1.48

-55.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$22.45 IMP 16.68

-90.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$11.95 IMP 8.88

1.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$4.10 IMP 3.04

-70.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$3.73 IMP 2.77

-33.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$3.05 IMP 2.27

-72.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$76.1 IMP 56.6

-45.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$5.10 IMP 3.79

-72.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.53 IMP 1.13

27.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$80.1 IMP 59.5

-90.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$2.14 IMP 1.59

-53.74%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$34.7K IMP 25.8K

-49.27%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$36.0K IMP 26.7K

-25.47%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$302 IMP 224

-72.47%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$37.77 IMP 28.06

-74.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$70.3 IMP 52.2

-66.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$63.0 IMP 46.83

-59.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$20.53 IMP 15.25

-6.97%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$13.74 IMP 10.21

-71.25%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$316 COP 994.2K

$1,315 IMP 977

-75.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$31.5K IMP 23.4K

-81.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$94.3 IMP 70.1

-36.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$41.69 IMP 30.98

-23.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$122 IMP 90.9

-16.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$78.9 IMP 58.7

36.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$1,240 IMP 921

-61.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$1,099 IMP 816

-65.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$2,152 IMP 1,599

-60.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$1,901 IMP 1,412

-62.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$4,071 IMP 3,025

-19.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$3,142 IMP 2,334

-54.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$2,964 IMP 2,202

-78.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.66

266.94%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Douglas: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $1,240 in Douglas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Douglas pays 375% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $108 in Douglas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $305 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Douglas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 151% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 375% lower in Douglas. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $1,240 in Douglas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $2,515 in Douglas – a 151% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 83% less than in Douglas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $2,515 in Douglas, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Douglas. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Douglas, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Douglas are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 151% less than in Douglas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.